FAMILY.
WE LONG FOR A PLACE.
WE DESIRE A CONNECTION.
OUR DYNAMICS OF FAMILY ARE FOREVER CHANGING.
THANK YOU, GOD.
WHAT ARE WE MOST THANKFUL FOR THIS CHRISTMAS?
WHAT WOULD WE MOST “NOT” WANT TO LOSE?
FAMILY. 
God’s Word is so fulfilling of all that we need. God orchestrated the writing of 40 men to pen the words that make up the Bible over a span of 1400 years, and as we read the New Testament, we see the unfolding of the Old Testament prophecy.
Through Jesus, we become brothers and sisters—I am SO THANKFUL that today, the day after Christmas, is the Day of Sabbath, the Day of Gathering with the family of God, with MY FAMILY. 

THANK YOU, GOD, FOR FAMILY.

Over the season of Christmas, these are the ways I celebrated with my Christ-given family.
At home—Darrell asked me years ago (1985) to marry him, and when he did, I knew I would be his until death.  Sure, we had a wedding ceremony, but in my heart, I knew he was mine and I was his until death.  When his last deployment to Africa almost destroyed our union, THAT MOMENT is when God began a new work in Darrell and me.  Thank You God for Darrell & for his shared belief of YOU!
In 1999, God blessed our home with a child—Sydney Ellen, and that day was a vow remembered, one I made so many years ago to God.  As she lives more that 5,000 miles away, in my heart, I know she is God’s, and THAT makes all the difference and gives me forevermore peace.
Then there’s my mom—Love her heart.  She is the embodiment of God’s goodness.  STILL Today, I have never met anyone who did not love my mom.  Thank You God for a godly mom.  Oh yes, THANK YOU, GOD.
When we begin naming names, then there is always a possibility that someone dear to our hearts will remain unnamed. That fact could occur today.
FAMILY! 

THANK YOU, GOD, FOR FAMILY!!!

The author, the psalmist, of the longest chapter in the Bible (the center of God’s Word) tells us in Psalm 119 what makes FAMILY possible. Maybe that’s because the FAMILY of GOD is so vast. See it with me.

FAMILY.  GOD’S FAMILY.

I cannot imagine not belonging to God!!!!
I cannot imagine not believing in Him.
I cannot imagine not living in Awareness of those still lost to Him, who continue to walk in darkness.  Maybe that is why God gave me CU, so I would have more time, more opportunity, more students from everywhere, more colleagues, and more leaders who would give me opportunities to speak of God’s goodness to those still living in the darkness of lostness.
At work—Campbellsville University is comprised of believers who teach and who lead students from all over the world. God has given me a CU family to walk with and love and share belief in God.
At my home—God gave me a family of a dad and mom who raised me to know the goodness of God.   Thank You God for my strong dad and beautiful mom.  Thank You for giving them faith.  Thank You for my Christian home.
Then there’s my siblings—Oh God, what would I EVER do without my siblings!!!! And they all profess to know God, so this means we will be together FOREVER IN HEAVEN.  Thank You, God.
And, then Oh My, then there’s my sweet best friend, Julie—She makes me cry just imagining a life without her presence.  She loves her husband and sweet, sweet Skylar.  God, I am so blessed by Julie’s presence in my life.
And then there’s Marieke—God knows her even though she says she does not know Him.  The deep sadness permeates my thoughts.  God, please speak to her heart today.  Please show her your amazing gift of salvation.
Thank You God for this beautiful person—my sister-in-Christ, Julena—She writes with me every day.  God, please send Your eternal blessings to her home and life.  God, help her realize how precious she is to me.

THANK YOU, GOD, FOR FAMILY!!!

The Word of God gives us ALL we need every day.  As we look past Christmas and toward the end of this year of oddness, I am convinced and confident that God has orchestrated everything within this year, even the ending of this year and my travel abroad.

• God gave me nieces and nephews to love.
• God gave me nieces and their husbands and their children to share time with and LOVE!
• God did all this!
• God gave me the sense of going, of traveling abroad.
• God gave me the sense of testimony.
• God gave me a husband who understands. 
• God gave me a daughter to love and to share the incoming of the New Year with her godly husband.
• God did. 
• God gave me a reduced ticket to purchase.
• God did.
• God gave me a new career placement that has provided me space to go.
• God gave me another child to love in 2015.
• God did.
• God knows all that we need and all that He orchestras for us to accomplish.
• God knows how we only need to believe and walk forward in His confidence, knowing God has made the way.
• Thank You, God, for EVERYTHING YOU PROVIDE.

The Bible tells us clearly what will happen when Jesus returns His second time.  It is so clear!

• God has made the way.
• God Has!
• God has brought His Light to this world of darkness. 
• God has!
• God has provided us ways to minister and to witness to His goodness.
• God has!
• God has provided for my end-of-year travel to witness to a most beautiful dad, mom, and children.
• God has!
• God made this possible in 1966 when He placed me in a godly home.
• God made this possible way back in 1981 when He saved my soul.
• God made this possible when He gave me a godly husband in 1986.
• God made this possible in 1999 (when He gave me a daughter to love), when He led her to come to know Him, & then in 2019, when He gave Sydney a godly man to call her husband.
• God also made this possible in 2015 when He helped me open my eyes and my heart to a student who needed a home.
• God gave me a new FAMILY to love 5,000+ miles away.
• GOD GAVE ME ALL THIS—FAMILY & LOVE & HOPE & ASSURANCE & EVERYTHING!!!
• GOD DID—ALL THIS!!!!

So today, on this 26th day of December, the day after we celebrated Christ’s birth, we exclaim,

“THANK YOU, JESUS, FOR YOU!”